Andrea’s First Birth

I remember the first time I even talked to Andrea on the phone and feeling her wonderful spirit as we talked about my Hypnobabies classes.  I was so excited when she and her husband Jordan took my class and then honored when they asked me to be at their birth.

By then I felt as if I was going to her birth more as a friend than a doula. It was fun because our friend Wendy would be there too.  Andrea’s first birth was great in so many ways, and I loved how it was so spiritual to her.  It still stands out so strongly in my mind how she said during her birth, “The baby is with Heavenly Father right now and will cross the veil and come to us!”  We all felt that.  It was beautiful when her sweet baby Mia was born.

Expecting Baby #2

I was so excited when Andrea became pregnant again.  I wasn’t teaching at a time that worked for her, so she took Hypnobabies with Angela.  This time she had a midwife and was planning a homebirth.  I was so excited that she wanted me to be at her birth again.  I had a trip to Peru planned, but if the stars aligned Angela, Wendy and I would be at her birth.

We gave her a mother’s blessing way one night late in her pregnancy.  It was an amazing outpouring of love and support for her, with family and friends gathered around her.  We made her a necklace with beads that we each picked out just for her.  We danced to Latin music and she said she wanted to dance her baby out.  She was having pressure waves throughout the evening and we all thought the baby would come soon.

Birthing Day Arrives

The very next day was her birthing day.  Angela and the midwife arrived first.  Wendy and I arrived a bit later.  By the time I got there she was in active birthing time and was in the tub.

She was doing amazing and was focused and beautiful.  At some point she demanded Wendy and I sing a Hymn to her.  So we sang Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.  She then wanted to listen to other Hymns.  Andrea and many of us sang along to Be Still My Soul and I Need Thee Every Hour. I loved watching her sing.

Soon she wanted Latin Music and she literally did dance sitting in the tub as her baby moved down.

She changed positions and started pushing.  She was powerful and focused.  Then it was the apex moment when the heavens open and an exchange is made between heaven and earth.   Her sweet baby was born.

Most had thought it would be a girl, but surprise, it was a baby boy!

We got a few amazing pictures and then Mia hopped in the tub to be in the picture.

Inspired by a Hymn

Suddenly the midwife said, “Take that picture and then we need to get her out of the tub and on the bed.”  We quickly helped get her out and onto the bed.  Lindsey went into intense working mode.  We all felt the shift.  It wasn’t fear, but rather urgency and we knew it was serious business.  Andrea was bleeding heavily and it needed to stop.  I was saying hypnosis prompts, “Turn the faucets off.  Stop bleeding.”

The midwife’s assistant administered Pitocin via a shot.  The blood kept pouring out.

I still felt peace, but knew we had to do something more. It was urgent that things change quickly.

I had this rush of thoughts through my mind in about 2 seconds.

• I thought, “Hymns” and picked up my phone.  It was still on I Need Thee Every Hour.
• I remembered the story of a friend whose husband gave her a blessing to help her placenta release (not an urgent situation like this). I knew the faster the better.
• Prayer!

“We need to pray!” I announced and I started to pray with Andrea.  I literally said, “Dear Heavenly Father we need Andrea’s placenta to be born and for her to stop bleeding.” At that moment her placenta easily slipped out and the bleeding stopped.  It was instantaneous right after I said those words.

She had probably only been on the bed for 1 or 2 minutes total.  But in that short period of time I saw the power of how having a good birth team and the Spirit is such a perfect pair.

The Blessings

I loved having an experienced midwife there to be in charge of the medical situation, which was crucial at this birth.

I loved that there wasn’t fear. I have been in hospitals in similar situations where mom is bleeding heavily and it felt chaotic and scary.  This was still intense, but there was a blanket of peace over us.  I can honestly say, I didn’t know that everything would be OK, but I knew that Heavenly Father was there, I felt His Presence so strongly.  The veil was so thin.

I love that having the hymns as a part of the birth helped remind me to pray.  I would have thought of praying on my own, but I don’t know if I would have thought of that so quickly.  I was relying on my tools and the midwives medical skills instead of God.  It was just such a testimony to me of how sacred births are and how thin the veil can be.  It also reinforced how music can be a powerful influence of good in our lives.

It was such an honor to be there at this birth.  It was spiritual and amazing in so many ways.  I hope to have Andrea write her version of the story and share with us soon.